women, slavery, and resistance in the African Diaspora

Addressing Inequality through Conflict Resolution in Portland, Oregon

Rachel Rustad

BST 450U: Female Resistance Personalities in the African Diaspora

Professor Clare Washington

Final Exam Essay

16 August 2008

Essay 4: The experiences of Caribbean women are of growing interest to scholars as well as writers, and are often compared with the experiences of North American women. The various political, economic, racial, and gender inequalities that have plagued societies in both regions provide common ground for such comparisons. However, there are aspects of the Caribbean experience that are unique. Compare and contrast the experiences of Caribbean women to women in the United States with regard to race and other situations that brought on different forms of resistance movements and rebellions.

Historically and today, where there is oppression there is also resistance. Beginning in the 15^th century during the age of exploration and conquest and continuing in its brutality until the late 20^th century (and due to globalization…

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Lucille Clifton: won’t you celebrate with me

I attended a yoga retreat designed for women of color in 2010 and the experience was spectacular. To date, I am in contact with several of the sisters from that magical weekend in the Georgia mountains in Dahlonegna.  Ba-by, the Great Mother was working wonders.

As I’m in the throws of transition not unlike the process of transition that women experience when in labor, I was reacquainted with this wonderful poem gifted to me by one of the sisters from the retreat, Octavia.  I have yet to meet a woman graced with the name Octavia that is not powerful beyond measure.

She wrote the following on the back of the poem,

“I keep this poem close to me–

I just wanted to share it with you–“

I am extending the gift, passing the blessings on to those that stop by

The Passionate Fruit:

won’t you celebrate with me

By: Lucille Clifton

won’t you celebrate with me

what i have shaped into a kind of life?

i had no model.

born in babylon

both nonwhite and woman

what did i see to be except myself?

i made it up here on this bridge between

starshine and clay,

my one hand holding tight

my one hand;

come celebrate with me

that everyday something

has tried to kill me

and has failed.